Yes, your aroma diffuser might make your house smell as fragrant as the inside of a rosebud, but using essential oils in a diffuser can be incredibly dangerous for your cat. You may not be aware of it but many essential oils (especially tea tree!) are seriously toxic to cats, and your diffuser works by spreading them through the air your pet breathes.
In a Facebook post that went viral, one woman shared the story of her cat, Ernie, who was poisoned by the eucalyptus oil spread by her aroma diffuser.
The RSPCA told Metro.co.uk that the keeping aroma diffusers around cats is a very risky idea:
‘Essential oils are hazardous to cats and can cause a number of adverse reactions.’
The charity warned that some essential oils are more poisonous to cats than others- tea tree oil for example can lead to depression, tremors, vomiting, hypersalivation, and in some severe cases can even cause cats to experience paralysis in their hind legs, collapse, or even a coma. Occasionally, exposure to tea tree oil can even be fatal due to organ failure.
While tea tree oil is a particularly hazardous example, the RSPCA advise cat owners to avoid essential oils entirely. And definitely do not use them with an aroma diffuser.
If you have used an aroma diffuser or had an essential oil massage recently, take your cat to the vets for a check-up.
READ MORE: Things You Need To Know Before You Get A House Pet
If your cat has been exposed to any toxic essential oils, they might exhibit signs of poisoning. Signs your cat may be poisoned include depression, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, breathing difficulties and bad breath, twitching, and seizures
Keep a close eye on your kitty, and take them to the vets if you think they’ve been affected (bear in mind that some symptoms may take a while to appear).
Of course, different substances affect animals differently so it might not be a simple task to decipher what the damaging substance actually is. However, essential oils are a culprit you can easily cut out of your life- ditch the aromatherapy, and save your cat’s health.
Follow Annie Simon on Twitter: @annieasimon
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.